Elimination of U.S. Pilot Truck Program Triggers Mexican Tariffs

[BrianR]

My territory.

The main arguments are safety (unsubstantiated), job protection(also unsubstantiated) and somehow this is Bush's fault (it's not, blame Clinton, he signed NAFTA). Mexican trucks are all inspected at the border, Their out of service rate IS less than ours. While in the USA, Mexican drivers must abide by our rules. The only valid safety point is that it is possible for a Mexican driver to use two logbooks, one for the US and another for Mexico, to drive more than the allowed hours per day.

The unions are worried about the job loss, but the Canadians have been running here under the same rules and have taken no jobs.

The shrill refusal to admit our part in the treaty, signed years ago and only now are we beginning to live up to our obligations as we have required others to do. We either obey our own treaty or we should repeal it.

The Cross Border Demonstration Project has been defunded through the fiscal 2009 budget. What this means to NAFTA remains to be seen. I am watching.